Hat-press.



R. ROWLAND.

HAT PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 26, 1912.

Patented NOV.5, 1-912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ESE

. amnntgz MM fi Wat/"mo R. ROWLAND.

HAT PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1912.

' 1,043,466. C Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ROBERT nowmnn, or BROOKLYN, new ronx.

HAT-PRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 5,1912.

Application filed January 25, 1912. Serial No. 673,347.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT ROWLAND, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hat- Presses, of which the following is a specification. 4

This invention relates to hat presses and particularly to that class in which hydrostatic pressure is employed in producing a desirable shape and density of the finished product, and its objects are to provide an ctficient mechanism for'producing such results more rapidly and effectually than has hitherto been attained. These objectsai'e secured by mechanism hereinafter fully'described and shown in the annexed drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the entire machine. Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken through the molds and showing several part-s at the time pressure is applied. Fig. 3' is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is taken on line 47- 1 a similar sectional view of Fig. 1.

In all these several views similar characters refer to similar parts. The invention comprises a, suitable base- 7 plate 10 adapte'dto rest upon the floor or other foundation and is provided with columns 11 at each of its corners which extend upward to a suitable height where they are connected with a cap plate 12.

Centrally mounted: on the base-plate 10 is a vertically disposed cylinder 13 provided atthe to with 'a packing ring 14 having means 0 adjustment and through which passes a plunger 15 adapted to extend nearly to the bottom of the cylinder bore; within the space below the end of the plunger is an inlet for a pipe 16 extending outwardly and upwardly to a suitably arranged threeway valve 17 conveniently arran ed for operation, its'inlet being connecte to the source of water or, air supplyaccordiiig to whether hydrostatic or pneumatic force is employed. At the upper end of the plunger 15 is a receiver or mold holding member 18 adapted to receive and maintain the (lifierent sizes and shapes of molds 19, it

may be desired to use; guides 20 are also a provided, attached to the receiver 18, which extend outwardly to the four columnsll with which they slidably engage.

The cap plate 12 is provided with an openingadapted to receive a pipe 21 C9 municating witha second three-way valve 22 leading to the pressure supply source; the lower side of the cap plate 12 is made to conform to the shape of the hat brim in.

accordance with the form of the mold below.' A distensible flexible internal mold member 23, such as a rubber bag of suitable shape, directly connected with the pressure supply controlled by the valve 22, is se-- plates 25 shaped to agree with the contour of the lower molds, are made interchange able to suit the various styles and sizes of hats operated upon and are adapted to be disposed over the hat material when placed on top of the mold, in such manner as to have a slight amount of resilience when brought against the semi-yielding plates 24 by the upward motion of the plunger 15. These parts are so arranged that the brim of the hat is uppermost, the crown. being disposed within the mold as this arrangement is believed to be more convenient in han dling the work.

In operation the partially formed hat to.

be pressed is disposed in the lower mold, the three-way valve opened so that the plunger and its attached parts move upwardly,

the flexible bag at that time being within the hat body; pressure is applied through the second three-way valve, whereupon the bag becomes expanded forcing the hat material strongly against the confined lower mold which is thereby made to produce a perfect, regular shape as desired, notwithstanding any irregularities, as thick or thin portions in the hat material, which may exist; obviously when the pressure in the cylinder is removed, the lower mold descends and the hat may'be readily taken out. It may be stated that the brim of the' hat has previously been pressed and formed into shape'and that this invention is" adapted to operate upon the crown only.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and'desire to secure by'Letters Patent is I 1. In a hat press, in combination with other operative mechanism, of a vertically movable die carrier, lower diesinterchangeably mounted thereon, said lower dies being adapted to receive the crown and body of a hat and semi-yielding upper dies interchangeably secured to the under side of the presscap-plate in'register with said lower dies.

2. In a hat press, in combination with other operative mechanisms, movable concave lower ri id dies adapted to receive a hat, fixed flexible upper dies corresponding to the lower dies, a rubber bag capable of expansion arranged with reference to the opening through said upper die and adapted to enter a hat in the lower die, means for raising and lowering said lower die and means for distending said rubber bag.

base plate having columns at' each of its lower corners, a cap-plate at the top of the columns, a cylinder vertically mounted central of the base and a piston operatively combined with the cylinder, of an enlarged annular die holder on said piston, guides therefor slidable on said columns, concave rigid dies disposed interchangeably within 'smd holder, upper dies interchangeably secured yielding below said cap-plate in register with said lower dies, a distensible member extending through said upper'diesbelow saidcap-plate, means for expanding said distensible member and means forraising the lower die into operative engagement with the upper die.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification win the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT ROWLAND.

Witnesses:

BERTHA E. HENRY, CARL J LARSEN. 

